Window box



Nov. 26, 1940.

H. C. MARTIN WINDOW BOX Filed Feb. 16, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Hulda GMmLin.

ATTORN EYS H. C. MARTIN Nov. 26, 1940.

WINDOW BOX Filed Feb. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Hulda C. Marlin.

IIIIIIIIII lllllllllllllllll 14 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to window boxes, and more particularly to an extensible window flower box.

One object of this invention is to provide a flower box of the above nature which will be adjustable to fit the window ledge upon which it is to be placed.

Another object is to provide an extensible twopart flower box having a U-shaped gasket to seal the parts together to prevent the leakage of water therefrom.

A further object is to provide improved clamping means for holding parts of the extensible window box together.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved window box of the above nature which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, there have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates one form of extensible window box in which the principles and features of this invention are embodied.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail face view of the means for clamping together the parts of the box shown in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 illustrates another form of extensible window box.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through a portion of the box, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 to show the clamping means for holding the box sections in adjusted position.

Fig. 6 is a detail face view of the same. I

Fig. '7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5, showing a modified form of box clamping means.

Fig. 8 is a similar section showing still another form of box clamping means.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral I0 (see Figs. 1P3) denotes the outer section, and the numeral I I the inner section of an extensible metallic windowbox embodying the features of this invention. The outer section II] has an end member I2 and a pair of side members I3 and Hi, all of which are provided with outwardly rolled upper edges I5. The inner section II has a closed end member I 6 which is provided with an outwardly rolled edge I1, and side members I8 and I9 having their upper edges 20 inturned their entire length, or at least adjacent the open end 2I thereof, to form '5 a downwardly directed shoulder 22. The outer and inner sections I0 and II are provided with holes 23 and 24, respectively, in each of their respective side members adjacent their respective and members I2 and 2I to receive a chain or cord 25 which is adapted to pass over hooks 26 and 21 formed on the ends of a pair of telescoping supporting bar members 28 and 29, respectively.

The bar member 28 is generally U-shaped in cross-section and is adapted to slide within the bar member 29, which is similarly shaped. Three supporting screws 3!) are provided to secure the telescoped bar members 28 and 29 to any suitable stationary part of a window frame or wall (not shown), said screws being adapted to pass through the bar members 28 and 29. The center screw 30 passes through the outer bar member 29 and through an elongated slot 3| formed in the bar member 28 and serves to lock the members 23 and 29 together in adjusted position.

In order to seal the jointure between the box sections In and II, provision is made of a U- shaped gasket 32 in the form of a narrow strip of rubber or like yieldable material, which is Wrapped about the bottom and side walls of the inner box section II adjacent its open end,the ends 33 and 34 of the gasket 32 being folded inwardly and downwardly over the upper shoulder 22. After the gasket 32 has been so applied to theinner box section II, this section is pressed downwardly into the outer box section I I] and adjusted with respect thereto to form the desired length of box. The two sections I0 and II will then be clamped together at their upper edges to secure the box sections III and II tightly together. The clamp comprises a metallic member having a fiat top portion 35,- a hook-shaped end portion 36 adapted to fit around the rolled edges I5 of the side members I3 and Id of the part It, and a flat vertical portion 31 extending downwardly along the side members I8.'and IQ of the section I I to a point below the shoulder 22. The lower end of the portion 3'! is bifurcated to re ceive a catch member 38, which is hinged there to by a pin 39.

The catch member 38 is provided with a lip 40, which may be toothed, if desired, and -a finger actuating. piece 4| extending substantially] at right-angles therefrom, and saidcatch member 38 is so mounted on the portion 31 of the clamp member that when the finger piece 4| is pressed downwardly into the full line position shown in Fig. 2, the lip 40 will engage and press the ends 33 and 34 of the gasket 32 against the side members I3 and I4 of the part II below the shoulder 22 to draw the top portion 35 downwardly and to press the parts HIV and II together sidewise.

In the forms shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the window box may be constructed of wood, glass or porcelain, or other suitable material, and may be arranged to provide three compartments 42, 43 and 44 to hold various articles, such as potted plants, gold fish and chemically-grown plants,

respectively. In the bottoms of each compartment 43 and 44, drain apertures 45 and 46 are provided and are stopped by corks 41 and 48, respectively.

The outer box section 49, in this instance, is 7 closed at its end 59 and has side members 5| and 52, each being provided with holes at their ends for receiving a chain or cord 53. The inner box section 54 is preferably closed at each end 55 and 55 and'has side members 51 and 56. A partition 59 is provided intermediate the ends 55 and 56 of the boxsection 54 to form a pair of compartments 42 and 43 in the inner box section. A U-shaped gasket 60 formed of rubber or like material, and similar to the gasket 32 of the first form, is provided and is wrapped about the sides and bottom of the inner section 54 adjacent its closed end 56 with its upper ends 6| and 62 overlapping the upper edges of the side members 51 and 58 and extending downwardly on the inside a. short distance. l

The outer and inner box sections 49 and 5I are clamped together by means of a clamp member comprising a fiat top portion 63, a fiat vertical portion 64 extending downwardly along the outside of the side members 5| and 52 of the outer part 49, and a short bifurcated portion 65 extending downwardly along the inside of the side members 51 and 58 of the inner part 54 and over the gasket ends GI and 62. A catch member 66 disposed in the bifurcated portion 65 and pivoted thereto by a pin 61 is also provided, and. as in the previous form has a lip 68 and a finger actuating piece 69 extending substantially at right-angles therefrom. The lip 68 presses against the gasket end BI or 62 and forces the respective side members of the box parts 49 and 54 together laterally when the finger piece 69 is pressed downwardly'into the full line position shown in Fig. 5.

An inverted U-shaped clip- I0 is secured by a horizontal rivet 70a flush with the upper edge of the side members 51 and 58 of the inner section 54 directly below the gasket 60. A vertical threaded bolt II having its head I2 disposed below the clip I9 extends upwardly through said clip, the gasket 60, and an elongated opening 13 provided in the top clamp member portion 63. A wing nut I4 threadingly engages the bolt II to force the portion 63 downwardly against the gasket. 60 to compress the latter and to secure the clamp member to the inner box section 54.

In the modified form of clamp shown in Fig. 7, a verticalend portion "I5 is secured, as by a horizontal screw I6, to the side member of the outer box section II. A horizontal top portion 18 is pivoted to the upper end of the vertical portion I5 by a hinge pin I9, and said top portion extends over the upper edges of the side members of both the outer and inner box parts Tl.and 80.

respectively. The portion. 18 is spaced slightly above the upper edge of the outer box part 11, but is adapted to rest on the portion of the gasket 8| overlying the upper edge of the box part 80.

The top portion I8 of this form of clamp is operation of this clamp, the lip will be forced downwardly upon the gasket end 86 to draw it taut, as well as to force said garsket to draw the box sections TI and 85 toward each other to compress the'portion of the U-shaped gasket 8i therebetween and to seal said box sections together.

In the form of clamp shown in Fig. '7, an inverted U-shaped clip 88 is riveted flush to the upper edge of the outer box part 11, and embraces a vertically disposed bolt 89 which passes upwardly therethrough and through the top portion I8 of the clamp member. By turning a wing nut 90 downwardly along the bolt 89, the top portion I8 of the clamp member will be urged downwardly against the gasketfl I and the inner box section 89 will be forced downwardly to of the outer box section, a top flat portion extending over the upper edges of the side member 94 and of the side member 96 of the inner box part, and a flat portion 91 extending. downwardly along the inside of the side member 96. The portion 93 is securedto the side member 94 by a horizontal rivet 98, and the downturned portion 91 is bifurcated to receive a pivoted catch member 99, similar in form and operation to the catch member 66 described above in respect to Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

A thumb screw I69 is provided and is passed through the top portion 95 of the gasket If and has its end I92 engaging the upper edge of the side 96 of the inner box section. Actuation of the thumb screw I69 will press the inner box section downwardly in respect to the outer box section to compress thegasket IIII between the bottoms I03 and I04 of the outer and inner box parts respectively.

Operation While there have been disclosed in this specification several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures, but maybe modified and embodied-in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming Within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is described to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In an extensible window box, an outer part,

an inner part adapted to telescope within said outer part, a water-tight gasket between said parts, and releasable clamping means to press said parts together to compress the gasket therebetween and seal them together.

2. In an extensible window box, an outer box part having side members provided with rolled top edges, an inner box part having side members and telescoping within said outer part with its side members lengthwise overlapping the side members of said outer part, a rubber gasket located between the adjacent ends of said parts, and a clamp member having a hooked portion shaped to engage the exterior of the rolled top edge of said outer part, and said clamp having a catch swingable into position to press the side members of said inner part toward the side members of said outer part to compress said gasket therebetween.

3. In an extensible window box, an outer part having side members provided with outwardly rolled top edges, an inner part having side members which telescope Within said outer part with its side members lengthwise overlapping the side members of said outer part, a yieldable Watertight gasket between the side members of said parts, and a clamp member having a hooked portion to engage over the rolled top edge of said outer part, the side members of said inner part having downwardly directed shoulders thereon, and a clamping catch having means to cooperate With said shoulders to draw said parts together and compress said gasket therebetween.

4. In an extensible window box, an outer box part having side members and a bottom, an inher box part also having side members and a bottom and being adapted to telescope within said outer part, a gasket between the bottom and 

